Lock.



Patantod Ian. 29, I90l. H. L. MACE n v LocK. (Application filed'Nov. 9,1900.)

No Model.)

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HIRAM L. MACE, OF EAST DURHAM, NEW YORK.

LOCK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 666,765. dated January29, 1901.

Application filed November 9. 1900- Serial No. 35.903. (No model.)

1'0 aZZ whmn it may concern.-

Be it known that l, HIRAM L. MACE, of East Durham, in the county ofGreene, in the State of New York, have invented new and usefulImprovements in Locks, of which the following, taken in connection withthe accompanying drawings, is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to improvements in looks, and is particularlyapplicable for use in connection with mail or express pouches, trunks,grips, &c., but may evidently be applied to doors and other closures, ifdesired.

The objects of this invention are, first, to produce a simple andpractical lock in which the locking bar or member is yieldingly held inits locking position and may be movediby hand to its inoperativeposition when desired; second, to so construct the lock-bar that a haspor other member may automatically interlock therewith, and, third, toprovide a keyactuated tumbler which is movable into and out of the pat-hof the lock-bar and is held in its adjusted position by the same springwhich yieldingly holds the lock-bar in operative position.

To this end the invention consists in the combi nation,construction, andarrangements of the parts of a lock, as hereinafter fully described, andpointed out in the claims.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is an isometric view of a lockembodying my invention. Figs. 2 and 3 are plan views of the interiormechanism of the lock seen in Fig. 1, the tumbler being shown in itsoperative position in Fig. 2 and in its inoperative position in Fig. 3and the lock-bar being indicated by dotted lines in its inoperativeposition at Fig. 3. Figs. 4 and 5 are sectional views taken,respectively, on lines 4 4 and 5 5, Fig. 2.

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts in all theviews.

This invention consists, essentially, of a frame 1, a lock-bar 2, spring4.

The frame 1 may be of any desired form, size, or construction and whenused in connection with a pouch, traveling-case, or similar devicepreferably consists, as seen in the drawings, of a base-plate 5, sideand end walls 6 and 7, projecting from the base-plate, and an outer wall8, uniting the outer edges of the a tumbler 3, and a walls 6 and 7. Theplate 5 is suitably secured to any desired form of device requiring alock and is usually provided with an opening 9 for receiving a lockingmember, as a hasp a, which is adapted to interlock with the lock-bar 2.Although I have shown the outer wall 8 as provided with asimilar opening11, alined with the opening 9 and adapted to receive the projecting endof the hasp a, 'it is evident that this opening 11 may be dispensed withand the hasp or other interlocking member made to conform to such acondition.

Journaled in the plates 5 and 8 is a keybarel12, having a keyway 13,adapted to register with a keyway or recess 14, formed in the tumbler 3.One of the end walls 7 of the frame 1 is formed with an opening 15,whichis arranged to receive an extension of the lock-bar 2for a purposepresently described. The lock-bar 2 may also be of any desired form orsize, and preferably consists of a rock-lever pivoted at 16 to the frame1 between the plates 5 and 8 and having one end provided with a shoulder17 movable across the opening 9 and its other end extended through theopening 15 and provided with a suitable hand piece 18. The face of theshoulder 17 adjacent to the plate 5 and opening9 is generally inclinedor cam-shaped for permitting the hasp a to be readily inserted into theopening 9 and automatically interlocked with the shoulder 17. The otherend of the lockingbar 2 is preferably formed with a laterally-projectingarm 20, which serves to normally close the opening 15 and prevents theinsertion of any instrument whereby the tumbler or other members mightbe tainpered with.

The tumbler 3 is interposed between the walls of the frame 1., isreciprocally movable into and out of the path of the lock-bar 2 forlocking said bar in its operative position when desired, and generallyconsists of a substantially flat bar having one of its longitudinaledges bearing against the inner face of one of the walls 6 and itsopposite edge provided with recesses 14, 21, and 22, arranged one inadvance of the other, and with a stop-shoulder 23, adapted to engage astop-pin 2% for limiting the movement of said tumbler to its operativeposition. The end of the tumbler adjacent to the lock-bar 2 extendsbeyond the st-op-shoulder23, is formed of substantially the same widthas the distance between the stop-pin 24 and the adjacent wall 6, and ismovable between said wall 6 and the adjacent face of the lock-bar 2 forholding the lock-barin its locked position, with the shoulder 17 acrossthe opening 9, it being understood that the distance between theadjacent faces of the inner end of the lock-bar and wall 6 issubstantially equivalent to the width of the adjacent end of thetumbler, and that said inner end of the lockbar is prevented fromfurther separation from the adjacent wall 6 by the engagement of theouter end of the lock-bar with the end wall of the opening 15, saidopening being of sufficient length to permit the shoulder 17 to be drawnor forced out of alinement with the opening 9 when the tumbler is movedto its inoperative position for releasing the hasp a.

In order to hold the tumbler 3 in either of its adjusted positions, Iprovide the frame 1 with a suitable guide 25, which generally consistsof a slot formed in a pin 26, projecting inwardly from the base-plate 5,and in which is reciprocally movable a yielding shoulder or plunger 27for successively entering the recesses 21 and 22. The adjacent walls ofthese recesses 21 and 22 are preferably inclined toward each other topermit the tumbler to be readily moved into and out of operativeposition by a suitable key operat ing upon the walls of the recess 14,as previously stated.

The spring 4 serves to automatically force and hold the lock-bar in itslocked position and also to force the plunger 27 into the recesses 21and 22 for holding the tumbler in either of its adjusted positions, saidspring being tensioned between the lock-bar and plunger and the adjacentwall 6 of the frame. This spring is preferably arranged with itsintermediate portion bearing against one of the walls 6, one end beingengaged with the adjacent edge of the outer arm of the locklever and theother end being secured to the plunger 27, and it is therefore apparentthat a single spring serves to retain the tumbler in either of its adjListed positions and to automatically hold the lock-lever in its lockingposition, capable of being moved to its other position by the handpiece18 when desired.

The advantages of the lock above described are obvious. For example,when it is necessary to frequently open a pouch, case, or

other structure equipped with my'improved lock and to have the sameclosed. and locked during the intervals it is simply necessary towithdraw the tumbler from operative position, whereupon the lock-levermay be readily rocked toits inoperative position, which lookleverautomatically returns to its normal position when released, and the haspautomatically interlocks with the shoulder 17 when the hasp and lock arebrought together.

The operation of my invention will now be readily understood uponreference to the foregoing description and the accompanying drawings,and it will be noted that considerable change may be made in the detailconstruction and arrangement of the parts of this invention withoutdeparting from the spirit thereof. Therefore I do not limit myself tothe precise construction and arrangement shown and described.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A lock comprising a frame, a lock-lever,

a reciprocally-movable tumbler having shoulders arranged one in advanceof the other, a guide, a plunger movable in the guide for successivelyengaging the shoulders, and a spring having its intermediate portionhearing against-a portion of the frame and its opposite ends engagedrespectively with the lockbar and plunger for the purpose described.

2. A look comprising a frame having a keyway and openings, a lock-leverhaving one end formed with a cam-faced shoulder movable across one ofthe openings and its other end extended through the other opening andprovided with an arm normally closing the latter opening, a tumblerreciprocally movable between one of the Walls of the frame and thelock-lever for holding the shoulder in its locking position, saidtumbler being formed with recesses disposed one in advance of the other,a key for engaging the walls of one of the recesses for moving thetumbler, a guide, a plunger movable in the guide for successivelyentering the other recesses, and a spring tensioned toward thelock-lever and tumbler and havingits opposite ends engaged respectivelywith the lock-lever and plunger for the purpose described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 29th day of October,1900.

HIRAM L. MACE.

Witnesses:

RICHARD PEOK, CHARLES WINDBIEL.

